Pressurized dispenser with integral stem seal



Aprii 6, i965 a. POTAPENKO ETAL 3,175,839]

PRESSURIZED DISPENSER WITH INTEGRAL STEM SEAL Original Filed Aug. 14. 1961 FIG- 2.

Fra. 1.

INVENTORS GENNADY Pom PEA/K0,

dorm h. L YO/V BY THE/R A77'0EA/EY5 Hmzms, K/EcH, fiussaz. & Afieu United States Patent Gennady Potapenho, 1718 Galrdale St, and John K. Lyon, 1176 Afton, both of lasadena, Calif.

Original application Aug. 14, 1961, Ser. No. 131,395.

Divided and this application Mar. 4, 1963, Set. No.

7 Claims. (G. 222-394) The present invention relates generally to the container art and more particularly to a novel pressurized dispenser for discharging measured amounts of pressurized fluid mate-rial, preferably in spray form.

Briefly stated, the present invention includes a valve assembly mounted in the neck portion of a pressurized container, said assembly including a housing member and a stern member. A passageway providing a transfer chamber and a measuring chamber extends through the housing member for communication with the interior of the container. A plurality of vertically spaced annular flanges or cup- 'ke elements and cooperating cylindrical wall surfaces are provided in the passageway, thereby when the stern member is actuated, fluid under pressure is first admitted to the measuring chamber and a measured amount of fluid is then channeled through the transfer chamber and dispensed from a discharge port contained in an actuating cap. Both the stem member and the housing member are preferably of unitary construction and molded from plastic material.

As is well known in the art, there are many types and styles of pressurized dispensers or containers in use at the present time. However, for the most part the known constructions are relatively expensive and contain numerous parts which require extensive machining and the maintaining or" close tolerances.

It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a novel pressurized dispenser which is extremely shnple in construction and relatively inexpensive to manufacture. More particularly, it is an object to provide such a dispenser which consists essentially of a container and a simple two-part valve assembly.

Another object is to provide a dispenser which contains a relatively simple and inexpensive valve for dispensing measured amounts of fluid material. More particularly, it is an object to provide such a valve which consists essentially of two parts which function both as a valve and as a measuring means. Specifically, it is an object to provide a simple valve which also functions as a measuring means, and which can be molded from conventional plastic materials.

Yet another object is to provide a valve construction whereby the container can be pressurized by connecting the discharge side of the valve to a source of pressurized gas.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein preferred embodiments of the present invention are shown.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a pressurized dispenser constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention, showing the valve in the closed position relative to the interior of the container after a measured amount of fluid material has been discharged from the device;

PEG. 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view similar to PEG. 1 showing the same valve in the open position in communication with the interior of the container; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional misses view of the upper portion of the valve housing member shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrating the details of one of the cup-like sealing elements;

Referring to the drawings more particularly by reference numerals, it} indicates generally a pressurized dispenser with integral stern seal embodying the teachings of the present invention, which includes a container 12, a valve assembly 14, and an actuating cap 18 at the upper end of the device.

The container 12 is of conventional construction and preferably molded of plastic material, and includes a neck portion 2i with an inner wall surface 22 and an upper lip 24.

The tubular connector 16 which may be made of metal fastens the valve assembly to the container and includes an aperture 25 at the upper end thereof, and a flange 28 at the lower end which engages the lip 24 of the container. A resilient washer Ell may be interposed between the container and the valve assembly for sealing purposes.

The valve assembly includes a valve stem member 32 and a valve housing member 34-, each of which is preferably of unitary construction and bolded from plastic material. The valve stem member includes a stem portion 59 which contains a discharge passageway 74} in communication with the discharge port '72 contained in the cap 18. The stem portion 5t"! provides an upper cylindrical wall surface '74, and below it an intermediate cylindrical wall surface 76 which merges into a lower cylindrical wall surface '78, each of said wall surfaces being of a greater diameter than the one immediately above it. However, the wall surface 76 is cut away or flattened on one side as at till to provide communication between two of the chambers as will be described more fully hereinafter. A disc-like stop member 32 containing spaced apertures 84 is provided at the lower end of the valve stem member 32.

Turning to a consideration of the housing member 34, it includes an upper annular flange or cup-like element 86 with a lip portion 83, an intermediate cup-like element 9% with a lip portion 92, and a lower cup-like element 94 with a lip portion 96. The lip portion of each of these cup-like elements extends inwardly so as to engage the wall surface adjacent thereto in sealing relationship. This construction is clearly shown in FIG. 3 which is an enlarged fragmentary view adjacent the upper cup-like element 35 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and which shows the lip portion 83 extending inwardly into sliding sealing engagement with the upper wall surface 7 5 of the valve stem member.

As mentioned above, both the valve stem member 32 and the valve housing member 3a are preferably of unitary construction and molded from plastic material. Also, the plastic material from which the housing is formed is preferably softer than the stem material so that the deformation occurs at the lips of the cup-like elements rather than in the stem member.

When the valve is in the closed position (FIG. 1), the fluid in the container 12 is prevented from flowing upwardly through the passage containing the valve stem member by the lower cup-like element 94 which is in sealing engagement with the lower wall surface 78. It will be noted that the pressurized fluid, passing upwardly through the apertures 84 acts against the outer surfaces of the lower cup-like element 94 so as to hicrease its sealing engagement with the lower wall surface '78.

When the cap 18 is depressed so as to move the valve stem member 32 to the open position (FIG. 2) the pressurized fluid flows upwardly around the lower wall surface 78, through the lower cup-like element 94 and into a measuring or metering chamber, the upper end of which Patented Apr. 6, 11965 is-defined-by the intermediate cup-like element 9%) which has its lip portion 92 in sealing engagement with the intermediate wall surface 7 6. When the cap 18 is released and the-valve stern member 32" moves upwardly, the lip portion 96 of the lower cup like element will engage the lower wall surface 7 8' in sealing engagement before the lip'portion 92 of the intermediate cup-like element reaches the flattened portion 80, whereby a measured amount of fluid trapped in the measuring chamber between the-intermediate and-the lower cup-like elements. Asthe valve stem member 32 continues to move upwardly, the flattened portion 80will pass under the lip portion 92 of the intermediate cup-like element; thereby permitting the fluid to flow past the intermediate cuplike element, through the passageway 70, and out through the discharge port 72.

The' upper cup-like element 86 prevents the escape of fluid from the upperor transfer chamber around the stem portion-50, and the resilient Washer 34 prevents the escape of fluid'from'between'the neck of the'container and'thevalve housing member.

The pressurizing or charging of the container can be accomplished by connecting the upper part of the dis charge passageway 7%) to a source of pressurizedgas. This can be done when the valve is either in it's closed or open position because the cup-like elements 86', 90' and- 94 will flexoutwardly and away from their co-operating wall surfaces when the flow of fluid material is in the downward directionwat an increased pressure.

Thus,-it is apparent that there been provided a novelpressurized'dispenser which fulfills :all of the ob jects and advantages sought therefor.

It ist-o be understood that the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings have been given only by way of illustration and example and that changes and alterations in the present disclosure which will be readily-- apparent to one skilled in the art are contemplated as within the scope of the present invention.

This application is a division of our copending ap plication, Serial No. 131,395.

We claim:

1; A-pressurized dispenser, comprising:

a container having a neck portion;

avalve assembly fastened to said neck portion and including -a housing member;

a. passageway in said housing adapted to communicate with the interior of the container;

vertically spaced upper, intermeditae, and lower continuous flange elements formed on said housing and projecting" into the passageway, each of said flange elements including an inner lip portion,

the upper and inter-mediateflange elements defining, in part, a transfer chamber, and the intermediate andlower flange elements defining in part a measuring chamber;

a stem member mounted inthe passageway for axial movement relative to the housing member between an open position and a closed position,

said stem member containing an upper wall snr-' face in sliding sealing engagement with the lip portion of the upper flange element, a'n'intermediate wall surface adapted to e'ng'age'the lip onnonor the intermediate flange element in sealing engagement, and a lower wall'surface adapted to engage the lip portion of the lower flange element in sealing relationship;

channel means providing communication between the transfer chamber and the -measuring chamber when the stern member is in the closed position, the lip portion" of the lower flange element being in sealin'g engagement with'the lower wall surfa'cewhen' the stem memberis in said closed position;

the lip portion of the intermediate flange element and the" intermediate wall surface being in sealing en' gagement, and the lip portion of the lower flange elezit 2.The pressurized dispenser set forth in claim 1 in which the valve housing and the valve stemrnember are molded from plasticmate'rial and e'ach'is of unitary construction.

3. The pressurized dispenser set forth in claim 1 in which the valve housing member and the valve stem member'are'rnolded from plastic material, and the material used for the housing member is softer than the material used forthe stern member.

4. A pressurized dispenser, comprising: a container having a neck portion;

a valve assembly fastened to said neck portion andincluding a housing member; a passageway through said housing adapted to communicate with the interior of the container; vertically spaced upper, intermediate,- and lower annular cup-likesealing elements formed on-s-aid hous-' ing'and extending into the passageway and in the direction of the interior of the container, each of saidsealing elements'including' an inner lip portion,

the'upp'er and intermediate sealing elements defining, in part, a transfer chamber, and the intermediate and lower sealing elements defining, in part, a measuring chamber; an elongated stem member mounted in the passageway for axial movement relative to the housing member between an open position and a closedposition,

said stem'member containing an upper cylindrical wall surface in sliding sealing engagement with the lip portion of the upper sealing element, an intermediate cylindrical wall surface adapted to engage'the lip portion of the intermediate sealing element in sealing engagement, and a lower Wall surface adapted to engage the lip portion of the lower :sealingelement in sealing relationship;

a channel in the. intermediate wall surface for provid-' ing communication between the transfer chamber and the measuring chamber when the stern member is in the closed position, the lip portion of the lower sealing element being in sealing engagement with the lower wall surface when the stem member is in saidclosed position;

the lip portion of the intermediate sealing element and the intermediate wall surface being in sealing engagement, and the li'p'p'ortion of the lower sealing. element and the lower wall surface being in axial spaced relationship to provide communication between the measuring chamber and the interior of the container when'the stem member is in the open position; and

passage means between the exterior of the container and the transfer chamber.

. 5. The pressurized dispenser set forth in claim 4 in which the normal diameter of the lip portion of each annularsealing element is less than the diameter of the, co-operating'wall surface on the stemmer'nber adjacent thereto, whereby said lip portion is deflected toward the interior of the container when it is in sealing engagement with its co -operating wall surface.

6. The pressurized dispenser set forth in claim 1 in V which separate sealing means is provided between the a valve assembly fastened to said neck portion and including a housing member;

a stepped passageway in said housing member adapted to communicate with the interior of the container;

vertically spaced upper, intermediate, and lower continuous flange elements formed on said steps in said housing member and projecting into the passageway, each of said flange elements including an inner lip portion,

the upper and intermediate flange elements defining, in part, a transfer chamber, and the intermediate and lower flange elements defining in part a measuring chamber;

a stem member mounted in the passageway for axial movement relative to the housing member between an open position and a closed position,

said stem member including an upper Wall sur face in sliding sealing engagement with the lip portion of the upper flange element, an intermediate wall surface adapted to engage the lip portion of the intermediate flange element in sealing engagment, and a lower wall surface adapted to engage the lip portion of the lower flange element in sealing relationship;

channel means providing communication between the transfer chamber and the measuring chamber when the stem member is in the closed position, the lip portion of the lower flange element being in sealing engagement with the lower Wall surface when the stern member is in said closed position;

the lip portion of the intermediate flange element and the intermediate Wall surface being in sealing engagement, and the lip portion of the lower flange element and the lower wall surface being in axial spaced relationship to provide communication between the measuring chamber and the interior of the container when the stem member is in the open position; and

passage means between the exterior of the container and the transfer chamber.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,565,954 8/51 Dey 239579 X 2,744,665 5/56 Carlson et al. 2,775,483 12/56 Treharne et a1.

2,788,925 4/57 Ward.

2,831,617 4/58 Softer.

2,877,936 3/59 Michel,

2,973,123 2/61 Rousset 222-518 X 3,064,865 11/62 Scoggin et al.

3,109,625 11/63 Steiman et a1. 25353 RALPHAEL M. LUPO, Primary Examiner. 

1. A PRESSURIZED DISPENSER, COMPRISING: A CONTAINER HAVING A NECK PORTION; A VALVE ASSEMBLY FASTENED TO SAID NECK PORTION AND INCLUDING A HOUSING MEMBER; A PASSAGEWAY IN SAID HOUSING ADAPTED TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE INTERIOR OF THE CONTAINER; VERTICALLY SPACED UPPER, INTERMEDIATE, AND LOWER CONTINUOUS FLANGE ELEMENTS FORMED ON EACH SAID HOUSING AND PROJECTING INTO THE PASSAGEWAY, EACH OF SAID FLANGE ELEMENTS INCLUDING AN INNER LIP PORTION, THE UPPER AND INTERMEDIATE FLANGE ELEMENTS DEFINING, IN PART, A TRANSFER CHAMBER, AND THE INTERMEDIATE AND LOWER FLANGE ELEMENTS DEFINING IN PART A MEASURING CHAMBER; A STEM MEMBER MOUNTED IN THE PASSAGEWAY FORR AXIAL MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO THE HOUSING MEMBER BETWEEN AN OPEN POSITION AND A CLOSED POSITION, 